I was thinking about trying Oyster point or the sloughs down by the airport. I've tried Rodeo and Crockett but no luck. Apparently there are a few around but trying to get people to give up their spot is like pulling teeth. Never thought you could spot burn a bullhead spot lol

Yeah idk man. Maybe I'm completely wrong but they are rare? I see small gobies, crabs, etc along the bay but bullheads don't seem to be really commonly distributed at all, haven't found them in rocky edges or sloughs. Which is a shame, they are fascinating little fish.

I haven't been up there in a while but I've never known there to be a shortage of bullheads. However, much more commonly caught in the warm weather months._________________Support UPSAC! Preserve pier and shore angling in California.

I talked to red fish about this. Not sure what's going on. As far as I know they do not move out of the bay in the wintertime although at times they do almost seem to hibernate in the mud. Hard to say._________________Support UPSAC! Preserve pier and shore angling in California.

I talked to red fish about this. Not sure what's going on. As far as I know they do not move out of the bay in the wintertime although at times they do almost seem to hibernate in the mud. Hard to say.

Bullhead (staghorn sculpin) aren't even available in local bait shops in the San Francisco Bay, only mudsuckers. They spawn like half the year from about Oct-Marrch in freshwater, so their absence in the past couple years kind of baffles the mind. Perhaps an altered migration route due to environmental impact?_________________Well, you lose one you rig one -Quint

They used to be a frequent "incidental catch" species in both SF and SP bays. I don't use cut anchovies anymore (real effective in getting bullheads accidentally), but on occasion I still put out shrimp and worm offerings. I think I've caught just one pacific staghorn sculpin in the past calendar year. For that matter, other sculpins as well.

Theories abound as to their scarcity. Maybe the drought has a relationship. Or climate change, natural or man-made. I'd have to say that all the dredging and sand mining operations throughout both bays (and the Suisun) cannot be helping. There are 12 such projects and they have a 10-year lease. Any time you deplete 14%*of the habitat in a given area it's bound to have a negative impact.

Over harvest is a real possibility. Kingfish also used to be abundant and now they have fled from places people used to catch them in high numbers. Baitshop stocking, forager stocking, and fish killed by accident or design when they are caught incidentally--these things add up.

*I am being generous here. This is based on the sand mining company (Hanson Marine) original estimate of 86% replenishment. So far, the USGS has found that this rate is more like 55:45: in other words, depletion is exceeding replenishment. Oops. But hey, we all need mounds of high quality contruction sand, and the fish can go swim somewhere else. Which they are doing. _________________

They used to be a frequent "incidental catch" species in both SF and SP bays. I don't use cut anchovies anymore (real effective in getting bullheads accidentally), but on occasion I still put out shrimp and worm offerings. I think I've caught just one pacific staghorn sculpin in the past calendar year. For that matter, other sculpins as well.

Theories abound as to their scarcity. Maybe the drought has a relationship. Or climate change, natural or man-made. I'd have to say that all the dredging and sand mining operations throughout both bays (and the Suisun) cannot be helping. There are 12 such projects and they have a 10-year lease. Any time you deplete 14%*of the habitat in a given area it's bound to have a negative impact.

Over harvest is a real possibility. Kingfish also used to be abundant and now they have fled from places people used to catch them in high numbers. Baitshop stocking, forager stocking, and fish killed by accident or design when they are caught incidentally--these things add up.

*I am being generous here. This is based on the sand mining company (Hanson Marine) original estimate of 86% replenishment. So far, the USGS has found that this rate is more like 55:45: in other words, depletion is exceeding replenishment. Oops. But hey, we all need mounds of high quality contruction sand, and the fish can go swim somewhere else. Which they are doing.

And add all the excess fresh water being released after the delta smelt fraud.

I talked to the Fish and Wildlife. They do not know the reason for the decrease. Suggested it may be due to the El Nino conditions._________________Support UPSAC! Preserve pier and shore angling in California.

I used to catch them in Pinole. Theres a slough there. I forgot the street but it's next to some type of oil refinery or propane company. When the wind blows north and high tide at night. Boy you'll get tired of releasing the stripers. Wear waders the water is cold. I had a huge striper (i think) swam n bumped into my leg. Scarred
The heck outta me. My friends had their stripers tied to their boat and a seven gill ate them all._________________Fish if there was no tomorrow and if tomorrow comes, keep fishing!